How can you possibly save money on taxes at the Douglas County Assessor's office?
Well, remember, you have the right to protest your property taxes anytime you want! But if you're doing to do it this year, you have to do it quick in order to save money!
Here's how it works:
As you know, the tax assessor (Bob Morrissey, a very nice guy, by the way) assesses your property every year. But, here's the problem. The assessor's office is a small one, and there are 210,000 properties in Omaha (valued at $31 million)!
That means the Douglas County office has to rely on facts and figures and averages. Which means, in turn, that they don't always get the value right! Let me give you a very specific example: A Omaha home owner had a home assessed at $341,000, and you know what it sold for? $170,000! So, to help him out, I went into the Assessor's Office to get him a savings of $3,600 on next year's taxes. That's nearly $300 a month!
Now you can do the same thing to protest your taxes and save money, and here's how it works:
1. The Assessment Office assesses the value of your home and sends it to the Treasurer's Office.
2. The Treasurer's Office then sends you a tax statement.
3. If you feel the assessed value is too high, you can then file a protest with the Board of Equalization. Referees analyze the information and then reset your value.
4. If you don't like their decision, then for $25 you can file a protest at the Assessor's Office which then goes to the state.
5. If you don't like the state's decision, you can then take the matter to court.
So, if you think your taxes are unfair or the value is unfair, here's a link to the Douglas County Assessor's Office at http://www.dcassessor.org/index.php.
What are you waiting for? Get online or call the Assessor's Office now at 402.444.7060.
Or, if you want more information about the whole process, call me today, Bill Black at 402.680.2500! We'd love to talk to you! (Heck, who doesn't love to talk about saving money!)
Contact Roger Morrissey at the Douglas County Assessor at 402.444.7060, rogermo@co.douglas.ne.us or the Douglas County Assessor's website.
WOW! Thanks for all your feedback - here's what you wanted and I delivered!
You know, sometimes, I’m a noisy kind of guy. That’s just my nature. But, hey, I do listen very carefully all the time to what my friends, family and past clients have to say! And what I heard from my last video blog was that you wanted more – much more! – information on how to sell your home and, equally important, how to buy a new one!
So, that’s what I’ve done – come up with a marketing plan with a stair-step process to get you straight from Point A to Point B. That’s right, our plan will spell out how to stage your home in the best manner possible…how to show it to its best advantage, etc…all the way to the end when we explain clearly how a contract between you and a buyer is processed.
But, I don’t stop there! Once your home is sold, I and my team assist you step-by-step in finding your next home. That ranges from locating pre-approved financing to finding the perfect home for your needs in the perfect neighborhood.
The net result of this marketing plan – it’s hands-free for you which means we take all the stress (well, most of it!) out of the entire selling and buying process!
If you'd like your step-by-step home marketing plan, simply call me at 402.680.2500 or shoot me an email right away at bill.black@cbshome.com and I'll send it your direction!
Thanks so much for returning to my blog week after week to read my articles and watch my video! I do everything I can to make real estate fun and interesting with information you can use to make a smart decision in real estate and improve the value of your home.
With the New Year, I'd like to ask you what you'd like me to publish. What would you like to learn about home maintenance and improvement? If you're looking to buy or sell a house, what are your primary questions? Thinking about a custom home? I'd really appreciate your feedback as I put together my topics to send to you via email, Twitter, and Facebook in 2010!
How do you like our real estate blog so far? I'd love to hear your opinion! Just leave a comment below (it's anonymous) or leave a message on Facebook and Twitter (see how we're using social media now!) Of course, you're always welcome to call me at 402.680.2500 or email bill.black@cbshome.com with your ideas.
Thanks for being a great friend of the years - we're running this blog for you. We want to make it the absolute best!
I want to extend a personal invitation to join us here in Omaha, home of Warren Buffet (one of the world’s richest men) and the College World Series.
Now, I’m not just name-dropping here for the heck of it. Warren Buffet is one of the shrewdest people on the planet, and he knows all about the great benefits of living in Omaha.
But, lest you think I’m just blowing smoke, why don’t I tell you what the rest of the nation is saying about Omaha and give you links so you can check out the facts for yourself?
A pretty impressive list from respected sources, isn’t it? Now, let me back up those facts with my personal experience.
Omaha has an unbelievably wonderful quality of life. Food’s inexpensive…you can afford to put gas in your car…you can buy a house at reasonable prices…and, if you’re a businessperson, we’ve got lots of affordable sites available for you!
Baby, you gotta contact me right now at 402.680.2500. What in heck are you waiting for? Omaha rocks, and we want you to rock along with us!
Which Home Improvements Give You the Best Return on Investment (ROI)?
Below I provide you with the best home improvements to make in terms of their Return on Investment (ROI). Choose the ones that best fit your situation and your budget!
Natural Gas Furnace Replacement
The ROI on furnace replacement can reach as high as 100%. How can that be? Well, of course, it depends on how long you keep the house before you sell it. In the first year, the ROI of a new furnace may be only around 10%.
However, consider that a new furnace adds to the resale value of your home and makes your home very attractive to potential buyers. And, then, if you look at the money saved in utility bills over, say, a five-to-ten year period, well, then you’ll be hitting that ROI of 100%!
Painting
Amazingly, a new coat of paint on the exterior of your home can give you an ROI of 90%. Dollar for dollar, it’s one of the most cost-effective home improvement projects you can undertake!
Depending on the quality of exterior paint, it can cost you anywhere from $25 to $50 a gallon. To give you an idea of the overall costs, the average 3,000-square-foot home takes about 15 gallons of paint. So, you may pay anywhere from around $375 to $1,500.
Looking at the interior, you’ll likely pay anywhere from $12.00 to $50 a gallon, again depending on the quality of the paint. Plus, of course, you have the cost of rollers, brushes, drop cloths, etc.
If you do the work yourself, it’ll likely cost you around $300.00. If you hire a professional, double the cost. In either case, you’ll end up with an ROI of around 75%.
Vinyl Siding Replacement
If appropriate, siding is a great place to start your home improvement projects. It has an ROI of around 88%.
Nearly everyone loves vinyl siding for two reasons – it’s low maintenance and has great durability. Plus, of course, the shiny appearance adds the perception of increased value in the eyes of potential buyers.
And you have two options for putting it on. If you have the time and talent, you can do it yourself for around $1.00 per square foot!
If you have neither the time nor the talent, then it’s time to call in a professional. Depending on your area and the size of your home, the job may cost you around $7.00 per square foot and anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000.
Replacement Windows
New windows have an ROI of 80% plus. It’s true that they are expensive, running $300 for a basic design up to $1,000 for custom designs. However, they have tremendous value in terms of either maintaining the house or increasing its value for sale.
Chosen wisely, replacement windows can really improve the look of your home from the exterior and in the interior. In addition, of course, they can really save on heating bills since old windows are great leakers of energy.
Kitchen Remodeling
Remodeling your kitchen can give you an ROI of around 80%. Now, it’s true that such a remodel can be expensive; the average cost is about $17,000.
However, you must remember that the condition of the kitchen is very often the deciding “sale/no sale” factor in the minds of potential buyers!
So, seriously consider this remodeling project. Add new countertops, cabinets and appliances.
If you have the time and skills, do much of the work yourself. Plus, of course, shop all the sales to get the lowest price on any appliances like stoves and refrigerators.
Roof Replacement
Replacing a roof has an ROI from around 60% to 65%. Depending on the nature of the replacement, it can cost about $100 to replace a few asphalt shingles on up to around $100 to $350 for a 10 x 10 foot square.
An overall re-roofing can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $14,000, depending on the size of the roof and the nature of the shingles (asphalt, wooden, etc.).
Now, while roof repair or replacement doesn’t have as high an ROI as some other home improvements, it’s definitely important because buyers will back quickly away from the purchase of a home that needs roof repairs. So, put this one high on your list!
Bathroom Remodeling
The ROI on a bathroom remodel ranges up to 78-80%. The average remodel costs in the $12,000 to $13,000 range. If you go “whole hog,” costs can range up past $30,000.
However, you don’t have to do all the remodeling at one time, and you may be able to make some of the changes yourself.
For example, new tile or linoleum can up down for anywhere from $100 to $1,000, depending on the size of the bathroom and the materials used. New light fixtures can also be an inexpensive do-it-yourself project.
So, there you have it – a list of home improvements that will give you the best return on investment! If you’d like to discuss the ROI on other home improvements, contact me today at bill.black@cbshome.com or 402.680.2500 and I’ll give you all the information you need!
When the feds introduced the $8,000 Home Tax Credit program for first-time home buyers, there were some skeptics out there. They thought it wouldn’t do much good.
How wrong they were!
The program is so popular that it’s been extended into 2009 and expanded to include second-time home buyers!
Now, we know you want to get into a new home fast so here are the details on the program.
If you’re a first-time home buyer, the tax credit remains the same - $8,000.
However, there’s been a wonderful change in terms of the income range. It’s been expanded as well!
Now, the credit doesn’t begin to phase out until your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $125,000 for single filers or $225,000 for joint filers. The old phase-out thresholds were $75,000 and $125,000, respectively.
And now for even better news if you already own a home but want to build a new one. The program has been expanded to cover you if you’ve lived in your current principal residences for at least five out of the last eight years. Your maximum credit will be $6,500. Yup, it’s lower than that of a first-time home buyer, but, what the heck, it’s still a substantial amount of money!
So, whether you’re a first-time home buyer or a current owner, contact us right now at 402.680.2500 to learn the details of the program!
Don’t wait! It takes six months to get that new home built so the time for action is now!
Believe me, great curb appeal is everything when it comes to getting potential buyers into your home! Plus, outstanding curb appeal can not only make the sale but increase your profit from that sale as well!
The benefits don’t stop there. Curb appeal can actually be achieved with very little money (depending on the size and condition of the home, of course). So, don’t think of it as cash spent; it’s actually an investment in more profit! Below, I provide you some very low-cost and sensible methods for making your home “shine!”
Clean – Then Clean Again!
I don’t know about you but when I see dirt and grime in a house, it’s a turn off because, as a buyer, I certainly don’t want to end up cleaning it all out! But, there’s another negative to a messy house – it tells potential buyers, “The owner doesn’t seem to care about his property, so why should I care?” Granted, this is not always a fair conclusion, but, remember, we’re dealing with the “emotional” side of the buyer. What they see is what forms their opinion of a property.
So, don’t risk the possibility of a negative opinion! From top to bottom, clean your home or have it cleaned by a professional service. Especially pay attention to getting rid of any odors! Unpleasant smells have a particularly negative impact upon potential buyers since odors create an immediate impact upon the most primitive and powerful part of the brain.
Get Out the Paint Brush…Roller…Sprayer!
The big temptation here is to go with the cheapest paint possible. Don’t give in to this urge. Go with good quality paint for both the interior and exterior! It simply looks better and emphasizes the quality of care you’ve put into your home. Buyers will notice that!
Roll Out the “Red” Carpet!
If your present carpet is at all worn or threadbare, consider replacing it with new carpet. I know, I know, it can be expensive, but new carpet can also add several thousand dollars to the final sale price! Once again, think of it as an investment, not as an expense. At a minimum, if your current carpet is in good shape, have it professionally cleaned to make it look even better.
Repair All the Little Things!
By themselves, a missing knob, a crooked gutter, an ill-fitting door, etc., don’t have much of a negative impact upon a buyer’s perceptions. However, when they see all these things together, they definitely get a sour attitude very quickly. So, repair all the little things to enhance exterior and interior curb appeal. Replace/repair gutters, rotted wood, broken door latches, leaky faucets, etc.
Manicure That Lawn!
A mowed and edged lawn really enhances the curb appeal of your home and shows potential buyers that you take good care of your place. To really put the “icing” on the curb appeal “cake,” add plantings like flowers, bushes, etc. They add color and delightful smells. :)
If you really want to make your home stand out in terms of terms of exterior and interior, consider hiring an accredited, professional “home stager” (ASP).
What’s a Home Stager?
Home stagers work with the “flow” of a home. Think of them as similar to set designers for plays and movies. They know how to “set the stage” in exactly the right way to impress any potential buyer visiting your home.
Overall, they eliminate clutter, arrange furniture, and help you enhance interior/exterior curb appeal in every way possible. Their charges may be on an hourly basis or a flat fee.
For information on home staging professionals, google “Home Staging Professionals” to see who’s available in your area. Or, check out these sources on the Internet:
